COURSE A – Tuesday 1-3 p.m. CONTEMPORARY FICTIONLecturer: Damiano PietropaoloTartu College, 310 Bloor St. West, entrance on Madison

November 12 – WARLIGHT by Michael OndaatjeSet in foggy and drizzly London, Warlight explores the young lives of Nathaniel and his older sister Rachel, whose parents have all but evaporated in Singapore. The children’s dubious caretakers, fondly nicknamed by the teenagers the Darter and the Moth, are shadowy and inscrutable figures who expose the pair to a seductive underworld that quickly erases their innocence.

December 10 – THERE THERE by Tommy Orange This timely debut by a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes pulls together divergent tales of modern-day Native Americans in and around Oakland, Calif., to examine the thorny issue of identity – and all the shame and pride it inspires. As characters prepare to converge on a powwow at the Oakland Coliseum, it becomes clear that there’s no single Native American experience.

January 14 – ASYMMETRY by Lisa Halliday Drawing on the author’s own past relationship with acclaimed author Philip Roth, Asymmetry details the affair between 20-something writer Alice and the much older literary figure Ezra Blazer. Interspersed with this story is that of Iraqi-American Amar, who’s been detained at Heathrow on his way to visit his brother. The links between the two stories are delicate and resonant and surprising.

February 11 – FUTURE HOME OF THE LIVING GOD by Louise Erdrich What if human beings are neither inevitable nor ultimate? A chilling dystopian novel both provocative and prescient, Future Home of the Living God is a startlingly original work from one of our most acclaimed writers: a moving meditation on female agency, self-determination, biology, and natural rights that speaks to the troubling changes of our time.

March 17 – CIRCE by Madeline MillerMiller’s reimagining of the Greek myth of Circe, the sun god’s unloved daughter and a witch who seduced Homer’s Odysseus, is a powerful and enchanting feminist parable about the binds of family and the extent to which a woman must fight for her sovereignty. If the mention of a Greek myth brings boring ancient history class to mind, think again.

April 7 – THEORY by Dionne BrandDionne Brand gives voice to a narrator who doesn’t ascribe to gender, known only as Teoria – a tortured academic perpetually led off course by a series of lovers, who each take the “all-know-ing” narrator by surprise. Full of wry humour and biting critique, Theory is a masterful work from a writer who still knows how to have fun.

May 12 – DAYS BY MOONLIGHT by Andre AlexisBotanist Alfred Homer is invited on a road trip by his parents' friend Professor Morgan Bruno; what follows is a journey

through an underworld that looks like southern Ontario taken during the "hour of the wolf," that time of day when the sun is setting and the traveller can't tell the difference between dog and wolf, a time when the world and the imagination won't stay in their own lanes. The novel is a darkly comic portrait of two beings: Alfred Homer and the Southern Ontario he loves. And it asks that perpetual question: how do we know the things we know are real and what is real anyway?

June 9 – AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE, by Tayari JonesMany couples have a safe word they use to call time out from going into a too-hurtful place. For happily married Celestial and Roy, it is two words: “November 17,” the anniversary of their first date. When Roy utters these words in the midst of a fight with Celestial, it’s impossible to fathom the repercussions of trying to do the right thing. That night, Roy is wrongly accused of committing a violent crime, and later sentenced to twelve years in prison. What follows is a tender and propulsive story set in the New South about honouring love and family while daring to imagine a brighter future.

COURSE B – Tuesday 1-3 p.m. SOUTHEAST ASIA: A CROSS-ROADS OF CIVILIZATIONSLecturer: Dr. Arne KislenkoTartu College, 310 Bloor St. West, entrance on Madison

At various stages in history Southeast Asia has been a cultural crossroads, a colonial construction, a Cold War battleground, an economic miracle, and a hotbed of Islamic extremism. As the intersection between ancient Indic and Sinitic civilizations, the region was impacted by many different cultural, ethnic, and religious influences. But far from being a mere “borderlands”, Southeast Asia witnessed the rise of several unique, very important civilizations with long-lasting global effect. It has endured violent conflicts borne of decolonization, nationalism, ethnic tensions, ideological extremes, and great power contestation. In fact, revolutions and wars in Southeast Asia, particularly in Vietnam, were pivotal in shaping the modern international geo-political order: consuming not just the region, but also global powers like China and the United States. Out of the ashes of such conflict came dramatic social, political, and economic change, leading to the rise of a regional bloc with great importance to the international order today. This series will deal with the many myths and realities of Southeast Asia and the ways in which the region has developed since ancient times to the present. We will explore the diverse historical experiences of some major countries and societies in the region, as well as more contemporary issues like separatist movements, religious revival, economic globalization, tourism, environmental degradation, and the continuing political instability of some states.

September 10 - Cradle of Civilizations: Southeast Asia as an Ancient World Magnificent palaces, spiral temples, and elephant armies: some of the many images conjured up by travelers to ancient places like Angkor Wat, Sukhothai, and Yogyakarta. As the southern

terminus of the famous “Silk Road”, Southeast Asia was in ancient times a vibrant crossroads of multiple cultural influences. Tracing the enormous impact of both Indian and Chinese civiliza-tions on the region, this session will also explore the develop-ment of unique Southeast Asian societies, such as the Pagan, Khmer, and Tai: kingdoms that shaped not only the regional political order of their times, but also the global development of major religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam.

September 17 - European Imperialism and a “Region” Defined: Southeast Asia to 1914 The first Europeans arrived in Southeast Asia in the early 1500s, ushering in more than four centuries of foreign imperial rule. The Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish, French, and British, all left their mark, as did, ultimately, Japan, the United States, and China. These divergent influences fundamentally reshaped the region, bringing with them different worldviews, not to mention the economic and political rivalries of “Great Power” conflict.

September 24 – Southeast Asia and the Two World WarsDuring the Great War, colonial subjects served empires with goods and soldiers. During the Second World War, the region endured Japanese domination and was a major theatre of military operations. Moreover, the wars produced much ideological and political change, ultimately shaping Southeast Asian societies in many ways.

October 29 – Triumph and Tragedy: Southeast Asia and the Cold War, Part 1 The decline of European influence in Southeast Asia led to a new balance of power in the region, chiefly premised on the emerging “Cold War” divide between the United States and the Soviet Union. This session will introduce some of the many post-colonial struggles in the area, as well as the interplay of global powers. Particular focus will be on the First Indochinese War (1946-1953) which set the agenda for much of the region over the next two decades.

November 5 - Triumph and Tragedy: Southeast Asia and the Cold War, Part 2 The Second Indochinese War, known to Americans as Vietnam War, had enormous impact on the global order. For the United States it represented a national trauma, played out against the backdrop of civil rights and other dramatic social and political changes of the 1960s. For Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodians, the American war brought almost unimaginable suffering, and decades more struggle. The rest of Southeast Asia was also consumed by the conflict, indelibly changed by the massive American military presence and its commitment to contain the spread of communism.

November 19 – After Vietnam: Chaos and Survival in Southeast Asia, 1975-2000 When U.S. forces withdrew from Vietnam in 1975, they left a massive political void in the region. Communism seemed unstoppable: quickly and brutally consuming Indochina. The American defeat ushered in yet another era of unprecedented turmoil for the region, not least of which was genocide and yet another war with a global power. Yet amidst the chaos, stability and even progress emerged. By the end of the century, some

countries in the region had become economic “dragons”: buoyed by both tremendous innovation and the intricacies of the international order.

November 26 - Into the Millennium: Southeast Asia and the New Global OrderThe new millennium dawned on Southeast Asia with many important changes, particularly in terms of economic develop-ment and a new “strategic pivot” towards China. However, many of the “old ghosts” of the region still haunted. This session will look at a variety of critical political, economic, and social developments in Southeast Asia in the first nearly two decades of the 21st century, with particular focus on the remarkable transitions made in the region after such devastat-ing conflicts over the preceding 50 years.

December 3 - Southeast Asia Today and TomorrowIn many ways, contemporary Southeast Asia has come “full-circle” from its ancient past. It remains a major nexus of global trade and geopolitical rivalries, now in the throes of rapid modernization and fundamental political change. But in some respects, old problems remain major obstacles. Nationalisms are on the rise. Authoritarian-ism is making a frightening comeback. Separatisms and extremisms remain in many countries. This session will look at contemporary issues and developments, with attention to the myriad effects of global economic integration and the clash between modernity and traditional culture and politics.

COURSE C – Wednesday 1-3 p.m.CONVERSATIONS WITH PAULA 2019Lecturer: Paula CitronWomen’s Art Association of Canada, 23 Prince Arthur Ave.

This entertaining course is back for its seventh year with another stellar line-up of guests. Audiences have a chance to get up close and personal in an intimate setting with these cultural movers and shakers. In this informal gathering, Ms. Citron interviews each guest at length, followed by questions from the audience. The result is a series of fascinating conversations that track the guests from their early lives, to how they got to where they are now. Many laughs, a few surprises, and some very poignant moments.

September 18 – Lata Pada, artistic director, Sampradaya Dance Creations, Bharatanatyam choreographer and performer (classical dance of South India)

October 2 – Roula Said, bellydancer, musician, vocalist, actor, and poet, and David Buchbinder, trumpeter, composer, producer and cultural inventor (Yiddish/Klezmer, Israeli, Arabic, Eastern European music and jazz)

October 16 – Andrea Donaldson, artistic director, Nightwood Theatre (Canada’s foremost feminist theatre)

October 30 – Judith John, vice-president, engagement and marketing, Royal Ontario Museum Governors (communications, marketing and public relations guru, international patient advocate)

November 6 – John Coulbourn, retired performing arts writer, Toronto Sun

November 20 – Risa Shuman, former producer, TVO's Saturday Night at the Movies

COURSE D - Monday 1-3 p.mCONVERSATIONS WITH PAULA 2017Lecturer: Paula CitronWomen’s Art Association of Canada, 23 Prince Arthur Ave. This entertaining course is back for its sixth year with another stellar line-up of guests. Audiences have a chance to get up close and personal in an intimate setting with these cultural movers and shakers. In this informal gathering, Ms. Citron interviews each guest at length, followed by questions from the audience. The result is a series of fascinating conversations that track the guests from their early lives, to how they got to where they are now. Many laughs, a few surprises, and some very poignant moments. November 6 – JOSEPHINE RIDGE, artistic director,Luminato FestivalNovember 13 – LAWRENCE CHERNEY, artistic director, Soundstreams November 20 – EVELYN TAUBEN, curator, producer and writer, founder of the FENSTER Gallery November 27 – GLENN SUMI, associate entertainment editor/stage and film, NOW MagazineDecember 4 – CHRISTOPHER HOUSE, artistic director, Toronto Dance TheatreDecember 11 – ANNA CHATTERTON, playwright, librettist and performer

WINTER SESSION

COURSE E – Monday 1-3 p.m.THE WEST AND RUSSIA IN THE GLOBAL TIME OF TROUBLES: TOGETHER OR APART? Lecturer: Sergei PlekhanovTartu College, 310 Bloor St. West, entrance on Madison

The West is experiencing crisis and turmoil. The core of the world system is ill, and the illness afflicts the entire planet. The rise of the non-Western centres of power does not in itself

November 6 – John Coulbourn, retired performing arts writer, Toronto Sun

November 20 – Risa Shuman, former producer, TVO's Saturday Night at the Movies

COURSE D – Monday 1-3 p.m. JAZZ 101: THE HISTORY, THE ARTISTS, THE MUSICLecturer: Dr. Mike DaleyWomen’s Art Association of Canada, 23 Prince Arthur Ave.

From humble beginnings in turn-of-the-century New Orleans, jazz has become a legitimate form of art music, prompting more than one writer to call it "America's Classical Music." This course charts the course of jazz from down-and-dirty to high-falutin', through the music of Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane and many more. The instructor uses vintage films and recordings along with live musical demonstrations to show how jazz has changed and grown over its century of history.September 9 – Way Down Yonder in New Orleans: The Genesis of Jazz New Orleans; Congo Square; Storyville; Buddy Bolden; New Orleans Style; collective improvisation; Original Dixieland Jazz Band; Jelly Roll Morton; “King” Oliver; Louis ArmstrongSeptember 16 – The Jazz AgeLouis Armstrong; Bix Beiderbecke; Paul Whiteman; Coleman Hawkins; Duke Ellington and the Cotton ClubSeptember 23 – Swing That Music!Benny Goodman; swing dancers; Teddy Wilson; Artie Shaw; Glenn Miller; Cab Calloway; Duke EllingtonOctober 7 – To Be Or Not To BopArt Tatum; Charlie Christian; Minton's Playhouse; jam sessions; AFM recording ban; Charlie Parker; Dizzy Gillespie; Jazz at Massey Hall; Oscar PetersonNovember 4 – Cool Jazz and Hard BopLennie Tristano; Miles Davis; Gil Evans; Gerry Mulligan; Modern Jazz Quartet; Dave Brubeck; Thelonious Monk; Charles MingusNovember 11 – Jazz since the 1960sMiles Davis; Bill Evans; John Coltrane; the avant garde; Ornette Coleman; free jazz; three models of the jazz tradition; Wynton Marsalis; Vince Giordano; Mary Halvorson; Brad Mehldau; Jason Moran

WINTER SESSION

COURSE E – Thursday 1-3 p.m.RUSSIA, AMERICA, AND THE QUEST FOR A WORLD ORDERLecturer: Sergei PlekhanovTartu College, 310 Bloor St. West, entrance on Madison

US-Russian relations are at the lowest point since the Cold War. This situation endangers the very survival of humanity: both countries are armed with thousands of nuclear weapons

which they aim at each other. The world plainly cannot afford too much US-Russian conflict. Yet, many assume that tensions and conflicts between Russia and America are somehow more natural than any attempts at cooperation between them. This stereotype is inherited from the Cold War in which the two superpowers were locked for half a century in ideological and geopolitical conflict accompanied by a massive and dangerous arms race. But is this stereotype backed up by the historical record? A review of the more than two centuries of history shared by the two countries suggests otherwise: tensions and conflicts between Russia and the US have never reached a critical stage of an all-out war, the two countries have been on the same side in almost all the big wars each of them has fought, and the world order that exists today owes much to their ability and willingness to cooperate despite their differences. Such cooperation is their duty to the world.

January 16 – THE TWO EMPIRES. January 23 – THE GREAT WAR AND THE BIRTH OF SOVIET RUSSIA. January 30 – THE GRAND ALLIANCE AGAINST FASCISM.A historic alliance crushed the fascist Axis and set the foundations of a new world order.February 6 – THE TWO SUPERPOWERS IN THE COLD WAR: CONFLICT AND COOPERATION. While they competed fiercely for influence in various parts of the world, the two superpowers were careful to keep their rivalry from escalating into World War III.February 13 – THE IDEOLOGICAL FIGHT: CAPITALISM VS. COMMUNISM. The ideological competition was a source of tensions and conflicts – but it also stimulated progressive changes in both countries.February 27 – THE NUCLEAR NEMESIS. The adversaries became each other’s hostages – and then partners in building an elaborate architecture of arms control.March 5 – THE SOVIET DEMISE AND THE AMERICAN TRIUMPH. The post-Soviet Russian Federation embarked upon a traumatic transition to capitalism under American hegemony. March 12 – THE RETURN OF HISTORY: AMERICA AND RUSSIA IN A MULTIPOLAR WORLD. As the US resorts to desperate attempts to shore up its primacy, the world has reverted to its familiar and dangerous pattern of intense international rivalry.

COURSE F – Tuesday 1-3 p.m. FROM CLASSIC TO MODERN: HOW ART WENT FROM IDEAL CRAFTMANSHIP TO CRAFTING IDEASLecturer: Iain CameronWomen's Art Association of Canada, 23 Prince Arthur Ave. This course will examine the evolution of fine art between 1500 to 1900, from the High Renaissance to the birth of Modernism. For many the High Renaissance was the zenith of artistic achievement. It followed a century where artists had broken away from Medieval thinking and rediscovered the accomplishments of Ancient Greece and Rome. They had rediscovered and implement-ed techniques such as linear perspective and oil painting into their work in the quest for figurative realism and a more convincing pictorial representation. By the turn of the century much had been achieved by a handful of artists of unparalleled genius, who not only

mastered figurative realism with ease but in doing so created an art of clarity, economy, and elegance that continues to be admired to this day. By 1900 however, the world had changed dramatically. The division within Christianity, the end of feudalism, the birth of a new capital-based economy, the Enlightenment and its ideas of individual freedom, and the Industrial Revolution, had all impacted the world in dramatic ways. The art produced in this period reflected these changes and the art of 1900 was not only dramatically different than the art of the High Renaissance but it left us on the verge of the development of many new and radical art movements that would develop in the century ahead. Over the course of six lectures we will examine the technical, aesthetic, and socio-political changes that informed art produced between 1500-1900. By examining art produced over these years we will endeavor to discover how art went from the graceful, lyrical, and naturalistic Madonnas painted by Raphael, to the seemingly disjointed, disproportionate figures of Paul Cézanne, a man held by many to be the father of Modern Art. We will seek to understand how the world of the fine arts came to value greater individualism over accomplished draftsmanship, and began to see the method by which an artist applied his materials to a flat surface as being as significant as the canvas being seen as a window into a perceived reality. March 24 – THE HIGH RENAISSANCELeonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raffaello Sanzio, and Tiziano Vecelli (Titian) created an art of unity, elegance, and figurative realism. March 31 – ITALIAN BAROQUEThe sculptural and architectural work of Gianlorenzo Bernini reflected his beliefs and gave the Vatican many of its Counter Reformation masterpieces. Another artist, Caravaggio, fueled a desire for theatricality and revolutionized European painting with his dark, brooding canvases. April 21 – BAROQUE & ROCOCO EXCESS TO REVOLUTIONThe Palace of Versailles built by Louis XIV was the grandest in Europe. Opulent in every aspect, it gave birth to Rococo, a style even more decorative and flamboyant than its Baroque predecessor. Jacques Louis David returned to an austere style that looked to the values of Republican Rome for inspiration.April 28 – ROMANTICISM Romanticism, with its focus on individualism, was the first artistic movement where the subjective vision of the artist began to be recognized. Contemporary events began to appear on canvases rather than purely history subject matter. It allowed artists like Constable and Turner to explore the philosophical ideas of the Picturesque and the Sublime.May 19 – IMPRESSIONISM In the mid 19th century two things happened which changed the course of art forever. As Japan opened its borders, woodblock prints started to make their way to the West. The second and perhaps most important innovation was the birth of photography. The Impressionists focused upon capturing instantaneous representations of the mood of a given scene. May 26 – POST IMPRESSIONISM As the title suggests our final lecture will examine artists who sought to take art beyond Impressionism and in doing so gave birth to what we now call Modernism. This opened the door for future generations to build upon, and for art to take on a multitude of new directions.

33RD SEASON!2019-2020

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❑ “B” SOUTHEAST ASIA8 Sessions HST included $375.00 ❑ “C” CONVERSATIONS WITH… 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

❑ “D” JAZZ 101 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

❑ “E” THE QUEST FOR A WORLD ORDER8 Sessions HST included $375.00 ❑ “F” FROM CLASSIC TO MODERN 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

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REGISTRATION FORM

I wish to register for the following courses*

❑ “A” CONTEMPORARY FICTION 8 Sessions HST included $375.00

❑ “B” SOUTHEAST ASIA8 Sessions HST included $375.00 ❑ “C” CONVERSATIONS WITH… 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

❑ “D” JAZZ 101 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

❑ “E” THE QUEST FOR A WORLD ORDER8 Sessions HST included $375.00 ❑ “F” FROM CLASSIC TO MODERN 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

FOR COURSES BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2020 POST-DATED CHEQUES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Name:

Address:

Postal Code:

Phone:

Email:

Please make cheques payable to:

KALEIDOSCOPEc/o Rochelle Diamond2500 Bathurst Street, Suite 906Toronto ON M6B 2Y8

* There are no schedule con�icts in the six courses offered.

REGISTRATION FORM

I wish to register for the following courses*

❑ “A” CONTEMPORARY FICTION 8 Sessions HST included $375.00

❑ “B” SOUTHEAST ASIA8 Sessions HST included $375.00 ❑ “C” CONVERSATIONS WITH… 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

❑ “D” JAZZ 101 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

❑ “E” THE QUEST FOR A WORLD ORDER8 Sessions HST included $375.00 ❑ “F” FROM CLASSIC TO MODERN 6 Sessions HST included $275.00

FOR COURSES BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2020 POST-DATED CHEQUES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Name:

Address:

Postal Code:

Phone:

Email:

Please make cheques payable to:

KALEIDOSCOPEc/o Rochelle Diamond2500 Bathurst Street, Suite 906Toronto ON M6B 2Y8

* There are no schedule con�icts in the six courses offered.

IAIN CAMERON possesses a Master of Arts from York University and has taught Art History and Theory at Ryerson University’s School of Image Arts for the past fifteen years. A practicing artist he has exhibited his work in both Canada and Europe and his work is represented in the permanent collections of the Musée Carnavalet in Paris, France, and the Berlin Wall Memorial Museum in Germany. His research interests include Photographic history, Japanese Woodblock Prints, and the work of J.M.W Turner.

PAULA CITRON is a Toronto-based freelance arts journalist and broadcaster who hosts her own popular website, paulacitron.ca. She also contributes theatre and dance reviews for Ludwig van Toronto, the acclaimed online music magazine that reaches over 100,000 people. For over 25 years, Ms. Citron was variously arts reviewer for Classical 96.3 FM, senior dance writer for The Globe and Mail, associate editor of Opera Canada magazine, and dance previews contributor to Toronto Life magazine. She has been a guest lecturer for various cultural groups and universities, particularly on the role of the critic/reviewer, and has been a panellist on COC podcasts. Before assuming a full-time journalism career, Ms. Citron was a member of the drama department of the Claude Watson School for the Arts.

DR. MIKE DALEY holds a Ph.D in music from York University and has lectured at several universities and learning programmes around Toronto. He is a musicologist, specializing in the history of popular music. Mike has also toured the U.S. and Canada as a musician with Jeff Healey, the Travellers and others, and has appeared on dozens of recordings as a guitarist and singer. Presently Mike and his wife Jill are leading music-themed tours to New York, Nashville/Memphis, London/Liverpool, St. John's and New Orleans.

DR. ARNE KISLENKO is a Professor with the Department of History at Ryerson University and an Instructor in the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One International Relations programme at Trinity College, University of Toronto. He has also served multiple times as a visiting professor at the Freie Universität Berlin. He teaches modern international relations, including courses on the world wars, the Cold War, the history of espionage, the history of terrorism, comparative foreign policy, and modern Southeast Asia. His books include Culture and Customs of Laos (2009), Culture and Customs of Thailand (2004), and The Uneasy Century (1996). He currently serves as book review co-editor for the prestigious journal Intelligence and National Security and is working on several research projects including a new book on the “real” James Bond. He appears regularly in the media commenting on current affairs and modern diplomatic history. Before academia Arne served for 12 years as a Senior Officer with Canada Immigration at Pearson Airport in Toronto, dealing with many high profile cases.

DAMIANO PIETROPAOLO is a producer/director, writer, translator, and lecturer with an extensive background in senior management in the arts. He was educated at the Universities of Toronto and Florence. His freelance life as actor, writer and stage director led him to join CBC Radio as a documentary and drama producer. In a career spanning over 30 years Damiano has garnered a number of national and international awards for his work. As head of Radio Arts & Entertainment at CBC, Radio Damiano revitalized cultural programming. He served as artistic consultant for the founding of Luminato. His play, The Fellini Radio Plays, was performed at the Stratford Festival of Canada’s 50th Anniversary season. His most recent work, a two-hour radio documentary The Wonder of the World, was broadcast on CBC radio’s Ideas in February 2015. In May 2015 Damiano led an outstanding trip for Kaleidoscope to Calabria and Sicily. In May 2018, Damiano led a memorable trip to Puglia and Basilicata.

SERGEI PLEKHANOV was born in Moscow, USSR. He earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees in International Relations at Moscow State Institute of International Relations with regional specialization in Near and Middle Eastern studies, and a Ph.D. in History at the Institute for the Study of the USA and Canada, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, where he conducted research on American politics and foreign policy. In 1985-1990, he served as an

DAMIANO PIETROPAOLO is a producer/director, writer, translator, and lecturer with an extensive background in senior management in the arts. He was educated at the Universities of Toronto and Florence. His freelance life as actor, writer and stage director led him to join CBC Radio as a documentary and drama producer. In a career spanning over 30 years Damiano has garnered a number of national and international awards for his work. As head of Radio Arts & Entertainment at CBC, Radio Damiano revitalized cultural programming. He served as artistic consultant for the founding of Luminato. His play, The Fellini Radio Plays, was performed at the Stratford Festival of Canada’s 50th Anniversary season. His most recent work, a two-hour radio documentary The Wonder of the World, was broadcast on CBC radio’s Ideas in February 2015. In May 2015 Damiano led an outstanding trip for Kaleidoscope to Calabria and Sicily. In May 2018, Damiano led a memorable trip to Puglia and Basilicata.

SERGEI PLEKHANOV was born in Moscow, USSR. He earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees in International Relations at Moscow State Institute of International Relations with regional specialization in Near and Middle Eastern studies, and a Ph.D. in History at the Institute for the Study of the USA and Canada, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, where he conducted research on American politics and foreign policy. In 1985-1990, he served as an advisor to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and took part in the democratic reform movement in Russia. Since arriving in Canada in 1993, Dr. Plekhanov’s teaching and research interests have focused on Russia and the other post-Soviet states. He is Associate Professor at the Department of Politics, York University, and Director of the South and Central Asia Project at York Centre for Asian Research. He has taught at other universities in the US and Canada, published books and articles on Russian politics and Russian foreign policy, US-Russian relations, and American politics. Hе is writing a book on the history of Russian-American relations.